Woodstock Inn brews with great results

BY JIM BEAUREGARD

Woodstock, about halfway between Plymouth and Littleton and a short distance off Interstate 93 in Lincoln, only had 528 residents in the 2010 census.

But it’s also got the Woodstock Inn and Brewery, which is developing a significant repertoire of quality beers, crafted from English grains, hops from around the world and good old New Hampshire well water.

We have five to sample today, so let’s get to it:

Woodstock Inn Brewery Summer Brew Ale, 12-ounce can, 3.6% alcohol by volume. Golden colored, slightly hazy, white head. It has a light nose of citrus, no discernable hops. The palate is light, with a rich hops bitterness and flavors of citrus again, and a few floral notes. Dry, with good carbonation, medium texture and a medium-plus length finish.

Woodstock Inn Brewery IPA, 12-ounce can, 6.5% abv. Light tan head over amber beer, this IPA combines hops and malt on the nose. It’s dry, with good bitterness from the hops, good acidity, low tannin, and a rich malt palate that delivers caramel, toast, and some bread notes along the finish. Could pair with just about any meat on the grill. Woodstock Inn Brewery Double Brown Ale, one-pint bottle, 8.4% abv. And brown it is, under a lasting, darker tan head. The nose is surprisingly light, but the palate makes up for this with rich flavors of roasted nuttiness, molasses, and hints of caramel in the background, along with some grain.

Woodstock Inn Brewery Kanc Country Maple Porter, one-pint bottle, 5.6% abv. It’s New Hampshire, and we know about maple syrup here. The bottle describes Kanc Country Maple as “malt beverage brewed with maple syrup,” and some of that maple sweetness comes through on the nose as soon as it’s poured. Huge, light tan head over brown beer, semi-opaque, with malt in the background. Good body, good length and balance of components, and flavors of maple syrup in a balanced presentation, with bitterness coming through consistently, medium tannin, and integrated alcohol. The texture is silky. Refreshing for summer.

Woodstock Inn Brewery Old Man Oatmeal Stout, one-pint bottle, 5.13% abv. Lighter brown head, thick and creamy, over black beer – definitely a Stout. The rich maltiness comes through immediately. Pour with the glass well-tilted, otherwise the head will spill up and over. ON the palate, oats, grain, cereal, coffee notes, roast. Off dry, with good balance of bitterness, tannin, alcohol, body and flavor intensity.

If you’re not familiar with it, the “Inn” of the beer title actually is an inn. You can stay over and sample to your heart’s content. Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery is located at 135 Main St. in North Woodstock. For summer hours, check out www.woodstockinnbrewery.com, or call 800-321-3985. Enjoy!.

Wine Event:The Ninth Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival is being held will be held on Thursday, June 5 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Winnipesaukee Ballroom at Church Landing in Meredith. The festival will feature wine, spirits and beer from local, national and international producers.

Tickets are $50 per person, and all proceeds will benefit the local non-profit theater organizations: Advice To The Players in Center Sandwich and the Flying Monkey Children’s Theater and Arts Program through the Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department.

If you visit the evening before, (June 4th) starting at 6 p.m. you can attend the pre-festival beach party at the Common Man’s Town Docks outdoor beach bar right on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. The evening will feature wine, fun beach food and live music outdoors.

For information about the festival visit thecman.com or call 968-9330 to order tickets. Space is limited and reservations are strongly suggested.

Contact local beer and wine writer Jim Beauregard at tastingnotesnh.com.